Peterborough

Peterborough's population increased by about 27,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 180,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Peterborough increased by 17.7%, from about 156,000 to 184,000.

The addition of almost 28,000 people means this area's population was the fastest-growing in Eastof England and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Peterborough was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Peterborough

Latest census data also show that the median age of Peterborough remained 35 years in the decade to 2011.

This area had a lower average age than Eastof England and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 6,500 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years.

About 15.0% of people in Peterborough are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Peterborough by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Peterborough that rented privately increased from 9.7% to 19.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in five (19.5%) households lived in social housing, compared with 21.6% in 2001. The percentage of Peterborough households that owned their home decreased from 66.1% to 59.3%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 14.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Peterborough increased by 9.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Peterborough, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Peterborough

The percentage of Peterborough residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.4% to 5.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.1% in 2001. The percentage of Peterborough residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.6% to 90.4%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Peterborough

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Peterborough was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.3 points.

In 2011, 26.4% of respondents in Peterborough gave this religion on the census compared with 17.1% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 60.8% said they were Christian, compared with 74.6% in 2001. About 10.1% said they were Muslim, compared with 6.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 0.6% to 0.7%.

In Peterborough, 6.7% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.4% in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Peterborough increased by 9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Peterborough by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Peterborough

The percentage of single people in Peterborough increased from 28.5% to 33.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in two (46.6%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 51.6% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Peterborough that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 12.4% to 13.6%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 27.4% in 2001 to 31.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Peterborough

In 2011, 11.7% of Peterborough residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 7.3% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 82.5% of people in Peterborough said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 89.7% in 2001. About 2.7% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.5% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 1.2% to 2.3%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Peterborough increased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Peterborough by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Peterborough residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.5% to 5.2% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.6%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68.6% in 2001. The percentage of Peterborough residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.9% to 13.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Peterborough decreased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Peterborough, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with children

The percentage of households with children increased in Peterborough, while falling in Huntingdonshire (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Peterborough).

In Peterborough, the proportion went up from 30.9% in 2001 to 32.8% in 2011, while across England it fell from 32.4% to 30.2%. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 29.4% to 29.6%.

The proportion of households without children in Peterborough fell from 60.7% to 58.7%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.4% to 8.6%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Peterborough residents that were unemployed increased from 3.3% to 5.1% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 57.3%, while the percentage of Peterborough residents that were self-employed increased from 6.4% to 7.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Peterborough increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Peterborough, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

the percentage of households with only one person was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Peterborough working less than 16 hours increased from 1.6% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 11 (8.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Peterborough increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Peterborough, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Peterborough residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.0% to 1.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.0%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Peterborough remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Peterborough by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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